Former trainer Teddy Altas says he doesn’t like how Anthony Joshua accepted defeat so “easily” and “graciously” last September in his one-sided loss to Oleksandr Usyk in London, England.
In Atlas’ mind, Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) behaved in a way that suggested that his bank had a lot of money. Atlas points out that the fighters that have done well in their careers are guys that fought as if their bank accounts were at “zero.”
In Joshua’s case, he fought like a guy that didn’t need money, and that was set for life, which is quite clear. Joshua is swimming in dough and has generational type loot that will keep not only him but his children and his children’s children wealthy their entire lives. We’re talking Kennedy family type of dough that Joshua has.
Indeed, Joshua’s net worth is $80 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
When a fighter has that kind of green, it stands to reason that they’re not going to be as desperate to win as a guy that has zero funds in his bank, facing eviction for him and his family. That’s what Atlas is driving at.
Joshua accepts defeat too easily
He saw a wealthy Joshua, rich to his gills, unwilling to go the extra yard to try and get the win against Usyk. As a result, he was easily outboxed by the Ukrainian and hugging him afterward, as they were old drinking buddies.
“I do think Anthony Joshua accepts defeat too easily, too graciously,” said Teddy Atlas in reacting on his podcast to the way AJ behaved in his loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
“I want a good winner and a good loser, don’t get me wrong, but he’s too gracious when it comes to it, like a guy that has made too much money,” Atlas said about Joshua.
“This may sound mean, but when I watch that fight [Joshua vs. Usyk], the most telling thing to me was at the end because I kind of wish at the end of the fight that Joshua would be a little bit less of a good loser, that he would behave a little bit more like a mandatory,” said Atlas.
“The greatest fighters go into their next success as if their bank account is still at zero. Joshua behaved after that fight like his bank account is pretty far past zero, pretty damn good.
“He’s a gentleman and a nice guy, he’s all of that, and he’s made you people [UK fans] proud,” said Atlas on Joshua. “But I wish he had a little bit of that sore loser in him like Wilder, especially after a fight that is so meaningful,” said Atlas.
Teddy is right about Joshua. He looked like a person without a care in the world moments after his lopsided loss to Usyk on September 25th. Instead of having a sorrowful look on his face, Joshua looked happy, as if he’s about to take a drive over to his rich exclusive country club and have a round of golf.
Why would Joshua go all out against Usyk? Joshua is expected to make $100 million for his fight against Tyson Fury in 2022, and with that kind of money, it doesn’t make sense for AJ to go all out trying to win.
The UK is a different animal when it comes to boxers. You’ve got fighters that have never won a world title like Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte, both of which are millionaires many times over. In the U.S, you don’t see that kind of thing.
For boxers to make millions in the U.S, you’ve got to win world titles. So for Joshua, even when he loses, he still makes bank and will continue for years and years. There’s less pressure for Joshua to win than fighters elsewhere in the world, whose bank accounts aren’t stuffed with cash like his.